HI Mara,

We are with Love on a Leash. After Sidney passed his AKC Canine Good Citizen test, we enrolled in a 6-week therapy dog course. Then we had 10 supervised visits, an evaluation and then we were fully certified.

I don't know what organizations might be available in your area. Here is a list of active Love on a Leash chapters in California:

ALIFORNIA:  Camarillo
Pleasant Valley
Debbie Norris
debbie@GaryNorrisLaw.com

CALIFORNIA:  Conejo Valley
Conejo Valley LOAL
Paula Lipman
plipman@dslextreme.com

CALIFORNIA:  Crestline
Comfort Pets
Linda Smith
www.comfortpets.org
info@comfortpets.org

CALIFORNIA:  Encinitas
Encinitas LOAL
(Rancho Coastal Humane Society)
Mary Pilon
volunteer@rchumanesociety.org

CALIFORNIA:  Hemet
Hemet LOAL
Cindy Pierson
lpie229620@earthlink.net

CALIFORNIA:  Highland
PAWS
Jeannie Williams
jeanstedwin@yahoo.com

CALIFORNIA:  Rancho Cucamonga
Paw Stars
Helen Pietrzak
pawstars@charter.net
909-261-8898

CALIFORNIA:  Redlands
Paws 4 Happiness
Deborah VanGelder
K9TrainerDeb@Yahoo.com

CALIFORNIA:  San Diego
San Diego LOAL
www.SanDiegoLOAL.com
Robin Kaufman
SanDiegoLOAL@aol.com

CALIFORNIA:  San Diego, Central
Love on a Leash San Diego Central
Susan Subkow
sandago@aol.com

CALIFORNIA:  San Diego, North County
San Diego North County LOAL
Connie Kelly
1luckydogmom@gmail.com

CALIFORNIA:  Temecula-Murietta
Love on a Leash K-9 Komfort
Jan Clark-George
jan.ndean@verizon.net

CALIFORNIA:  Thousand Oaks
Buddy Brigade
Eileen Barron
efbarron@gmail.com

CALIFORNIA:  Ventura
Poinsettia Pet Therapy
Joan Shugar
joanie_shugar@mac.com

CALIFORNIA:  Wrightwood
Paws for Literacy
Susan & Phil Strange
phil@strangelaw.net

CALIFORNIA:  Yucaipa
Yucaipa LOAL
Elicia Casey
elicia@enlightendogs.com

Maybe it is the extra special work that we do with a rescue that creates that extra special bond. We got Chepstow at 12 weeks and he has been a perfect corgi his entire life and we love him. But with Tenby we have cried, celebrated his sucess, smiled at his failures and enjoy his personality so much, we love him.  He is so in tune to me, last year I had a BIG hernia repair.  Moving around was hard and everytime I moaned or said ouch (or worst) he would run from wherever he was to my chair or the bed and get right in my face.  He just wanted to make sure I was OK.  He loves Roger, but he is my boy.

If we had known the "blood,sweat and tears" of  rescues (Tenby) not sure we would have taken on the challenge.  But we didn't know and we all survived.  He is such a wonderful guy we always say, "if only we had gotten him as a baby".  I really don't think we could have done it without Chepstow, he has spent the last 5 years trying so hard to make that crazy tri brother of his act correctly.  Chepstow gets so frustrated with Tenby.  It keeps us laughing.

Welcome Mara, William and Taffy!

My inlaws lived in Granda Hills on Balboa.  Small world.  I am glad to hear that SP has a lot of corgis. I have to laugh at your alpha dog reference.  At our house Chepstows thinks he is the alpha dog, but Tenby knows he is.

We rescued Tenby at 6 months and he has been a handful. Zero socialization with people or other dogs, house training took 18 months.  But he is a joy and is the most loving, funny and goofy guy.

My parents lived on Stratford across the street from Garfield Park when I was born.  We moved to the corner of Oak and Milan when I was in  9th grade. Of course that was many years ago, I graduated from SPHS in 1969.  I only get back for high school reunions.